A great day between two important days!

SA and ME

Yesterday was World Rhino Day, tomorrow is South African Heritage Day.

Well, today was the day when I got my work permit renewal for South Africa approved.

It took almost eleven month to accomplish this 🙂

So, I will be able to live and work for another five years in my favorite country. Now I am able to travel again and I am planning a trip to Europe before the end of the year and a trip to the USA in 2016.

Thanks South Africa and thanks to everyone that helped me getting this done!

Help!

WORLD RHINO DAY 2015

Support the fight for the survival of these magnificent creatures! ‪

In South Africa alone over 700 Rhinos were killed this year, that is almost three for every day …….

#worldrhinoday #savetherhino

Death of a Rhino CSP 4

500px

Some of you may know about 500px. This web-based photo community is known for the high quality of its image content. I joined 500px today and I will regularly upload some of my best images onto the site.

If you are a photo enthusiast then you might want to join 500px (if you have not already done so) and FOLLOW me and other photographers!

http://www.500px.com/christiansperka

I selected this – my favorite – leopard image as the cover image for 500px!

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A ‘cool’ snake!

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Sal (on Facebook) was the first to get the correct answer. We found this Puff Adder at Thanda House under a stack of fire wood. Due to the cold temperature it was very slow and did not react at all when Letishia took a piece of wood from the pile and discovered the snake.

I captured it and relocated it this morning away from Thanda House. After the release it took a few minutes before this incredibly camouflaged sake moved into the undergrowth.

Puff Adders are one of the most dangerous snakes in Africa. They have a very potent cytotoxic venom and are one of the fastest-striking snakes on earth. Due to the relatively low temperatures at this time of the year this specimen showed no aggression and could be handled quite easily.

This series of pictures were taken by Warren Beets (Thanda Reserve Manager) and myself during the release operation. Thanks Warren!

Well hidden! 20150905 - CS1_0886 - SPC

This picture shows me transferring the Puff Adder from the transport barrel to nice spot on the ground (near some undergrowth). 20150905 - CS1_0889 - E

Placing it on the ground 20150905 - CS1_0894 - E

Just in front of my GoPro camera 20150905 - CS1_0883 - E

This is the release from the GoPro angle 20150905 - CS8_1049 - E

And then the snake disappeared into the bush 20150905 - CS1_0897 - E

 

Mating Eyes

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When Lions mate they are actually busy for multiple days with a copulation every twenty to thirty minutes. In the breaks the male and the female keep eyes each other.

I love these two images which I took during such an intermission. An alert gentlemen and a lady giving him a stern look!

ID, please ?

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Yesterday evening I took these pictures of a strange-looking bird. I am not certain, but I think it is a amelanistic form of a Dark-capped Bulbul. Any other thoughts? Thanks in advance for the input.

The last of the five!

The Big Five are by far the most photographed and talked about of all African animals. But it is really the Lions, Leopards, Elephants and Rhinos which get the major share of the fame. Well, this blog shows ten images to portray the fifth Big Five, the most magnificent (and dangerous) bovine in its natural environment, the Cape Buffalo. Enjoy these Thanda Buffalo pictures!